This follows the failure of the civic body to comply with a court order to compensate additionally a person from whom land had been acquired for widening the Sahodaran Ayyappan Road.M K Sunil Kumar | TNN | January 04, 2017, 18:00 IST

KOCHI: Financial burden caused by land acquisition for various projects is likely to cost the Kochi corporation dear. On Tuesday, officials from district court were at the corporation office to attach official cars of mayor, deputy mayor and corporation secretary.

This follows the failure of the civic body to comply with a court order to compensate additionally a person from whom land had been acquired for widening the Sahodaran Ayyappan Road.

Several court cases have been filed against the civic body demanding additional compensation for land acquired for various projects.

Earlier, TOI had carried a story detailing the consequences if the corporation authorities continue to handle land acquisition cases carelessly . In many of the cases counsels employed by them failed to effectively defend the civic body .

The civic body will have to shell out at least Rs 20 crore more for land acquired for widening SA Road and constructing Ponnurunni ROB.

Additional compensation to be paid to land owners for the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram is around Rs 70 crore.

During the 2000-2010 period, land was acquired on either side of Sahodaran Ayyappan (SA) road for widening. Though the land owners were given compensation as per the rate fixed by revenue department, they were not satisfied. Later, the land owners sought additional compensation, but the civic body refused to pay.The land owners then moved the court which gave them a favourable verdict.

After the local body failed to pay Rs 1.83 crore to the petitioner, the court was moved again for implementation of the order. The court issued orders to attach the properties of Kochi corporation. Following the move to attach property including official cars, the corporation authorities gave an assurance that they would take immediate measures to pay the additional compensation.

“It was while I was leaving my office for attending a function that the officials from the court reached here. I instructed them to contact corporation secretary. The move is in connection with delay in giving additional compensation to one of the land owners whose holding was taken over for a project," said deputy mayor TJ Vinod.

He said that none of the pro perties including the official cars of top authorities were attached on Tuesday. Corporation secretary Haritha V Kumar said that the civic body would start immediate measures to comply with the court order.